Railway coupler shank having a key slot

ABSTRACT

The shank of a railway coupler is improved by better distribution of the metal surrounding the key slot. Forces due to buff and draft are distributed laterally across the shank to the butt and evenly to the top and bottom walls of the shank. The forces are then transmitted to the sidewalls proximate the leading surface of the key slot. Breakage and shortening of the shank proximate the butt is reduced.

United States Patent Inventor Frederick C. Kulieke Tallmadge, Ohio Appl. No. 851,632

Filed Aug. 20, 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 Assignee Amsted Industries Incorporated Chicago, Ill.

RAILWAY COUPLER SHANK HAVING A KEY SLOT 10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 213/62, 213/69 861g 9/00 213/50, 50.5, 62, 64, 67, 69

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,482,751 2/1924 Kinne 213/62 1,498,540 6/1924 Coffin 213/69 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Att0rneys-Walter L. Schlegel, Jr. and John W. Yakimow ABSTRACT: The shank of a railway coupler is improved by better distribution of the metal surrounding the key slot. Forces due to buff and draft are distributed laterally across the shank to the butt and evenly to the top and bottom walls of the shank. The forces are then transmitted to the sidewalls proximate the leading surface of the key slot. Breakage and shortening of the shank proximate the butt is reduced.

Pmmeu'stmml 3,604 569 SHEEI 1 0F 2' INVENTOR. FRED ERICK C. KULIEKE RAILWAY COUPLER SIIANK HAVING A KEY SLOT This patent relates to railway couplers, particularly, the shank end of couplers having a key slot.

Type E couplers having an E-60-type shank approved by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) have been exhibiting undesirable shortening and breakage in the butt area due to heavy buffing and pulling loads. With the present trend toward increased speeds and higher capacities these unfavorable conditions are becoming more prevalent. Furthermore, the shank of the present AAR couplers will have to be changed if train capacities of 20,000 trailing tons are to be adopted. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new shank for a key-slot-type coupler.

A further object of this invention is to provide a coupler shank with a key slot that will have a greater load capacity than present AAR -60 shanks without increased weight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a coupler shank that will withstand high speed and high capacity demands.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a coupler, partly sectioned on the centerline of the key slot, embodying features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the coupler illustrated in FIG. 1 partly sectioned on the centerline of the shank;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the entire shank taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the entire shank taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view in section illustrating the shank of FIG. 1 keyed to a yoke;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional side view illustrating the shank of a coupler taken on the centerline of the shank embodying features of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the shank taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary, sectional side views taken on the center line of a shank illustrating otherembodiments of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a coupler 10 having an AAR Type E head 12 and an E-60-type shank 14. A key slot 16 extends laterally through shank 14 adjacent butt 18. A key 20 may project through key slot 16 and be used to connect coupler 10 to a yoke 22 (FIG. 5). The dimensions of key slot 16 may be according to AAR standards as may be the exterior dimensions of shank 14.

The forward end of shank 14 comprises a boxlike section 24 (FIG. 3) defined by top and bottom walls 26 and 28 and opposed sidewalls 30 and 32. Top and bottom walls 26 and 28 may angle inwardly, increasing in cross section, proximate key slot 16 and blend into a forward wall 34 (FIG. 2) which acts as an end wall for the cavity defined by boxlike section 24.

In FIG. 2, a radius R is struck from centerline AA of key slot 16 and used to generate a portion of inner surface 36 of forward wall 34. Second radii R (only one shown) are used to blend lower and upper surfaces 38 and 40 of top and bottom walls 26 and 28 respectively into inner surface 36. Other methods of forming inner surface 36 and blending lower and upper surfaces 38 and 40 are also contemplated. For example, surface 36 may be normal to centerline A-A and blend into surfaces 38 and 40 by arcuate surfaces tangent thereto and dcfincd, for example by radii R (FIG. 8). A combination of radii similar to those illustrated in FIG. 2 may also be used in place of radii R,,. It is also possible to increase radius R in FIG. 2 to a point of tangency with lower and upper surfaces 38 and 40 as illustrated in FIG. 9. It is noted that radius R, in FIG. 9 is illustrated as being struck from a point located above centerline A- A. The radius R, of FIG. 9 could also be located on or below centerline A--A with appropriate modifications to surfaces 38 and 40.

Upper and lower lightener indentations 42 and 44 may be provided in top and bottom walls 26 and 28 above and below key slot 16. The indentations 42 and 44 are primarily used to reduce the weight of shank I4 and form U-shaped sections in top and bottom walls 26 and 28 (FIG. 4). Top and bottom walls 26 and 28 above and below key slot 16 may be about l to l A inches thick.

Another lightener indentation 46 may be added in butt 18.

No definite starting and termination points for walls and sections in shank 14 exist. Butt 18 may be considered to extend across the entire rear end of shank 14. Top and bottom walls 26 and 28 interconnect butt I8 and coupler head 12. Sidewalls 30 and 32 interconnect coupler head 12 and forward wall 34 and also interconnect top and bottom walls 26 and 28 in boxlike section 24. Forward wall 34 transverses shank 14 and interconnects top and bottom walls 26 and 28 forward of key slot 16 which is defined by top and bottom walls 26 and 28, butt l8 and forward wall 34.

In use, coupler 10 may angle relative to yoke 22 thereby causingkey 20 to angle in key slot 16 (FIG. 5). As a pulling force is exerted on the angled coupler 10, pressure is exerted at one of the rear corners 48 of key slot 16 causing metal peening. Metal forced outward proximate a corner 48 by peening is subject to cracking causing fatigue failure of the butt end.

In a preferred embodiment rearward corners 48 of slot 16 are chamfered, e.g., one-quarter of an inch by 45. Metal peening in this arrangement is reduced in the chamfered section.

During straight pulling, force exerted against butt 18 by key 20 is transmitted laterally across butt l8 and into top and bottom walls 26 and 28 (FIG. 2) and then partially to sidewalls 30 and 32 (FIG. 1). It should be noted that as the force is partially transmitted to the sidewalls 30 and 32 (FIG. 1) the thickness of top and bottom walls 26 and 28 may be reduced without loss of strength to shank 14 (FIG. 2). In the AAR E-60 shank such pulling forces are only transmitted to given lighter sections of the shank and not directly across the entire key slot area.

Manufacture of the disclosed design is also simpler and easier than that of the present AAR E-60 design. Small cores for boxlike section 24, and lightener recess 46 replace the one large core presently used in the E-60 design. Upper and lower indentations 42 and 44 may be defined by projection on the cope and drag of the mold used to make the casting.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention. Top and bottom walls 26 and 28 increase in cross section and angle directly into radial surface 36 generated by R-, forming a U- shaped configuration in longitudinal cross section of shank 14. An indentation 52 is provided within the outline of coupler 10 below bottom wall 28 for lightening the coupler. A rib 50 of bottom wall 28 may extend laterally across shank 14 at the rear extremity of wear plate 54. Another rib 56 of bottom wall 28 may extend longitudinally down indentation 52 and be used in combination with surfaces 55 to support wear plate 54. The wear plate 54 may be secured by welding in a known manner. In operation, the wear plate 54 engages a coupler carrier (not shown) to support the coupler 10 proximate head 12.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway coupler having a coupler head and a shank secured thereto, said shank comprising: spaced sidewalls connected to said coupler head and extending rearward therefrom, said sidewalls terminating at their rearward ends; a forward wall interconnecting the rearward ends of said spaced sidewalls spaced top and bottom walls connected to said coupler head and extending rearward therefrom beyond said for ward wall, said spaced top and bottom walls being connected to said forward wall and increasing in cross section as they converge on said forward wall from the coupler head side of said forward wall; a butt rearward of said forward wall interconnecting the rearward ends of said top and bottom walls, said butt together with said spaced top and bottom walls and said forward wall defining a key slot therebetween opening toward the sides of said shank.

2. A railway coupler according to claim 1 wherein upper and lower lightener indentations are respectively located in said spaced top and bottom walls above and below said keyslot.

3. A railway coupler according to claim 1 wherein the rearward surface of said keyslot adjacent the butt is chamfered adjacent opposed sides of the shank.

4. A railway coupler according to claim 1 wherein: said spaced top and bottom walls and said spaced sidewalls define a cavity intermediate said forward wall and said coupler head.

5. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein: said forward wall has a curved forward surface opening toward said cavity; said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively; and arcuate surfaces blend said lower and upper surfaces into said curved forward surface.

6. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein: said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively which are parallel; said forward wall has a forward surface normal to said lower and upper surfaces; and curved surfaces blend said lower and upper surfaces into said forward surface.

7. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein: said forward wall has a curved forward surface opening toward said cavity; and said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively which angle into said curved forward surface and are tangent thereto.

8. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein said bottom wall has an indentation below said cavity and a wear plate is located in said indentation, the bottom surface of said wear plate being substantially planar with the bottom surface of said bottom wall.

9. a railway coupler according to claim 8 wherein a longitudinal rib is located on said bottom wall within said indentation, said longitudinal rib having a surface engaged with the top surface of said wear plate.

10. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively which are parallel; and said forward wall has a radial surface that is tangent to said lower and upper surfaces and that opens toward said cavity. 

1. A railway coupler having a coupler head and a shank secured thereto, said shank comprising: spaced sidewalls connected to said coupler head and extending rearward therefrom, said sidewalls terminating at their rearward ends; a forward wall interconnecting the rearward ends of said spaced sidewalls spaced top and bottom walls connected to said coupler head and extending rearward therefrom beyond said forward wall, said spaced top and bottom walls being connected to said forward wall and increasing in cross section as they converge on said forward wall from the coupler head side of said forward wall; a butt rearward of said forward wall interconnecting the rearward ends of said top and bottom walls, said butt together with said spaced top and bottom walls and said forward wall defining a key slot therebetween opening toward the sides of said shank.
 2. A railway coupler according to claim 1 wherein upper and lower lightener indentations are respectively located in said spaced top and bottom walls above and below said keyslot.
 3. A railway coupler according to claim 1 wherein the rearward surface of said keyslot adjacent the butt is chamfered adjacent opposed sides of the shank.
 4. A railway coupler according to claim 1 wherein: said spaced top and bottom walls and said spaced sidewalls define a cavity intermediate said forward wall and said coupler head.
 5. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein: said forward wall has a curved forward surface opening toward said cavity; said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively; and arcuate surfaces blend said lower and upper surfaces into said curved forward surface.
 6. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein: said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively which are parallel; said forward wall has a forward surface normal to said lower and upper surfaces; and curved surfaces blend said lower and upper surfaces into said forward surface.
 7. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein: said forward wall has a curved forward surface opening toward said cavity; and said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively which angle into said curved forward surface and are tangent thereto.
 8. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein said bottom wall has an indentation below said cavity and a wear plate is located in said indentation, the bottom surface of said wear plate being substantially planar with the bottom surface of said bottom wall.
 9. a railway coupler according to claim 8 wherein a longitudinal rib is located on said bottom wall within said indentation, said longitudinal rib having a surface engaged with the top surface of said wear plate.
 10. A railway coupler according to claim 4 wherein said spaced top and bottom walls have lower and upper surfaces respectively which are parallel; and said forward wall has a radial surface that is tangent to said lower and upper surfaces and that opens toward said cavity. 